Malcolm Collins violin #13, Upper Hutt 1983

This is an early violin by Malcolm Collins, one of New Zealand’s most prolific contemporary professional violin makers. Malcolm trained with Ian Sweetman before developing his own, distinctive style, hallmarked by crisply-cut edges in the French Stradivari style, and a subtly coloured oil varnish. Malcolm’s technical proficiency is well-illustrated here by the cleanly inserted purfling, with its elegantly extended corner bee stings, while his own experience as a keen amateur string player informs this violin’s tonal response, with warmth and evenness over all strings, coupled with a resonant clarity in the upper registers.